


[Translation] We Do Have Time

by Reio, woyo



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Gender or Sex Swap, HP: EWE, Humor, Implied Sexual Content, One Night Stands, Post-War, Severus Snape Lives
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-14
Updated: 2018-07-30
Packaged: 2019-04-22 18:51:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14314956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reio/pseuds/Reio, https://archiveofourown.org/users/woyo/pseuds/woyo
Summary: WARNING: FEMALE SS! MALE HG!Enjoy the gender swap!HG had cherished a crush on SS a long ago. When the war ended, he thought it’s over. However, under the effect of Felix Felicis, HG had an accidental one night stand with SS. Thus he decided to woo her directly...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [We Do Have Time](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14274177) by [Reio](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reio/pseuds/Reio). 



> Disclaimer:  
> All the HP characters belongs to JKR.  
> Reio owns the plot.  
> I own the translation and some infinitesimal beta work.  
> We made no profit from this.  
> This is my first translation. I am exerting myself to bring Reio's fantastic Chinese work to you. Given that we have no betas and neither of us are native English speakers, please tolerate our little mistakes if there exist some ~
> 
> Now that I have added Reio as cowriter, you guys' comments can be seen directly by her _(:з」∠)_

“Hermes, honestly, am I your _best_  mate?” Ronald Weasley drew near with a strict look on his face, his eyes fixed on him.

“What?” Hermes went a little guilty under his gaze. He blinked and thought of anything could bring such protest from Ron. Nothing. He didn’t manifest any impatience when Lavender discussed lipsticks with him in office, nor diss the Quidditch player Ron liked recently...

“You have a girlfriend without telling us.” Ron’s eyes narrowed.

This caught Harry’s attention immediately.

“Really?” he turned around, surprised.

“I have no girlfriend.” Hermes frowned.

“Don’t deny. Lavender tells me you collect your things early every Friday afternoon, sitting waiting in your seat, checking the clock twice a minute and dash out like Firebolt as soon as it strikes five.”

 _I forget how much she loves gossip,_ Hermes cursed inwardly.

“Why don’t you tell us?” Harry took seat besides him slowly.

“Yeah, I am curious too. What kind of girl could drag him out of his office before eight o'clock p.m. - ouch!” Hermes clapped him on the back side of his head.

“Come on. Be honest,” laughed Harry.

“Fine,” he signed. “I do have dinner with someone every Friday night...but she is not my girlfriend.We just meet once a week, having little chat.”

“We often call this, ‘date’.” Obviously Ron didn’t believe him.

“But you adore her, do you?” asked Harry.

He bit his bottom lip, nodding hesitantly. “I do hope she can accept me.”

“Wooing girls? Easy, we have lover expert at hand,” laughed Ron.

“You?” Hermes rolled his eyes.

“Not me. Lavender,” he corrected.

Hermes shook his head. “She is not ‘girl’. And she is...special.”

“Then we can turn to Luna.”

“I don’t mean that,” he shot Ron an angry stare. “And she is older than me. Much older.”

“Fair enough. She'd better be a stunning beauty - Hold on, given that is Hermes Granger that we are talking about, it will be more precise to say she is twice as clear as you are. Wait, she can’t be married, can she?”

“WHAT?” he stood up in a fury.

“Eh, you say she is much older and ‘hope she could accept you’...” Ron flinched. “Sorry, I didn’t mean that.”

“Alright. Alright.” Harry stood between them. “You need to work harder, Hermes. We are expecting you to bring her to the Burrow for dinner.”

“You may as well tell us her size,” added Ron. “Mom is knitting her Weasley sweaters this year.”

“I’ll try,” replied Hermes curtly. _No, you won’t like her,_ he sighed inwardly.

 

He was wooing Snape. Severus Snape.

It has been a long story. When he was at school, his Potions Master was always mean and exert every chance to bully they three whilst protected them once their life was at stake, risking her life to fulfil duties for the Order of Phoenix, regardless of others’ disgust and doubt. Thus he respected her and admired her knowledge, wisdom and courage. Yet when it came to the D.A.D.A. class in the sixth year, he found his mind wandering often - not when she was teaching, of course, he never misses a word from any professor - he just stared at her motionlessly. Her hands. Curves of her neck. Soft breast. The waist exposed when taking out her wand. Then downwards -

 _That's so stupid_ , he scolded himself all right and over again. He didn't know why - she was plain-looking and bad-tempered, 20 years senior and she was his teacher who spared no effect in taunting him for six years. Yet he was still attracted to her, and he...couldn't let the feeling go. Though the fact frustrated him, he assumed that as he had barely the chance to meet his former professor who avoided their lot on purpose in those years, the thought that hunted him were no big problems at all.

...Until he drink the Felix Felicis that noon. His swore that it’s just to make the work less unbearable: his colleague took sick leave and left all the work to him; the proposal he brought forward was rejected; half a dozen people owled almost simultaneously to meet him that day; the water pipe bust when he got home to take documents and he couldn't repair it with magic or it would be difficult to explain it to the coming plumber in community. After all this mess, he was fed up. Since he started work, the pressure seemed easy to annoy him, just like other things. He drank the potion that was enough to keep him lucky till night in case he would be called to work in the midnight. Yet the blasted potion seemed to have another outstanding with “luck”, and put it into action zestfully. That's why he woke up in the midnight, suffering headache for imbibing too much alcohol. He turned around and catching sight of the pants abandoned on the floor as well as his shirt on the bed ,slowly recalling whits of memory about what happened last night. It nearly startled him to death.

That's fucking exciting. Now he wanted to open the window and jump out.

He must have acted like a terrible virgin! Though strictly he wasn't, but not so much better - let alone Professor Snape just left him in such a mess after the one night stand...wait, Professor Snape slept with him? Didn’t Harry say she adored Lily? Wait...

So many things he couldn't swallow flooded to him. Consequently, he spend the rest of night with no sleep until sunrise. When he woke up, it’s already afternoon. He was about to curse himself for wasting precious work time for sleep when it hit them that there was an honored Weasley Burrow dinner so he dressed in hurry and rushed to the Burrow. It was not surprising that Fred and George teased him about the dishevelled hair and pale look, the latter of which made Mrs Weasley poured him another two large spoons of meat soup in worry.

 Ginny even asked him what happened - as if he could just blurted out “I slept with Professor Snape” so damn easily.

Yet after such despair, a gleam of hope haunted him. Well.. now that... they slept with each other...so possibly...she wasn't so different to him, was she? Maybe she could appear in that bar again -

So after struggling inwardly for a week, he found himself in his best Muggle attire with his hair tamed. Opening the door of the very bar,  he caught sight of the familiar dark-haired woman ,his heart missing a beat.

Weather is fortune or not, he didn't know. A hint of surprise crossed her face, which remained emotionless quickly. He summoned all his Gryffindor courage to accost her - Merlin, he even kept calling her “Professor” all the time - and eventually invited her for dinner.

Surprisingly, she said yes.

Watching her strike out of the bar, he signed in dismay. She acted as if she had not a bit of interest. Yet she said yes.

“It's been great, young man,” said the owner of the bar, throwing him a suggestive grin. “I still remember you last time. That woman is tough. Even winos who teased her are granted with broken limbs. She must like you at any rate. By the way, you adore your teacher since school?”

Hermes flushed a little.

The barman mused, staring at the door. “I keep thinking what's her occupation. Teaching? Not likely - what do you want today?”

“She was a teacher,” plus double agent. “Anything.”

Hermes lifted the drink he ordered, draining it without taking a look and choked, coughing unceasingly.

The barman laughed out aloud.


	2. Chapter 2

Actually, the tryst with Snape went more smoothly than he had expected. The first time they ate out for dinner, he tamed his hair umpteen times in the public loo of the Ministry, doubting the perfection of his attire from time to time and rebutting every other alternatives in his mind. After checking the information of the Muggle restaurant he ordered for a million time, he finally arrived here in anxiety after work. In a distance he saw Snape standing here reading a brochure in black Muggle clothes, which was in the very style of her robes. Hermes suddenly felt overprepared - it’s not a tryst after all. Smiling, he sighed in relief.

They talked about work, then daily life. When speaking of that bar, he confessed the Felix Felicis accident in embarrassment - he felt guilty for that at some rate, though it’s not all his fault, either. Seeing the familiar sneering smile on his former professor, he felt relived. They didn’t talk much, the topics of which were not personal. Yet he was much relaxed than he ad expected. Eventually, driven by the courage the wine gave him (that might be his imagination, as he was an “insufferable, indomitable Gryffindor”, as she once commented), Hermes asked her to eat out with him next week.

Her lips lifted. “If you are not as annoying as tonight.”

He smiled at her placidly, jubilation sweeping in his inside.

 

“How is it going?” was the first thing Ron asked the moment he sat besides him in Three Broomstick.

“For Merlin’s sake, can’t we talk about anything else?” answered Hermes, vexed.

“Not so well? Given that you are so grumpy,” said Ron, amused, “if you there is anything you wanna to keep from Harry, tell me, this is time.”

“What do you want to let Hermes keep from me, uh?” as if answering Ron’s call, Harry emerged from the other side of the bar, beaming.

Ron grunted. “You are so fast.”

Harry sat besides Hermes and said seriously, “What Ron asks is our necessary concern - you are the only single one in we three.”

Hermes sighed. Indeed, Harry and Ginny had married two years ago and were planning on having babies; Ron and Lavender’s relationship finally settled recently after so many fluxes and as Mrs Weasley had urged them so many times, they would be engaged soon. As for Hermes himself, with numerous girls showed interest in him (though most of them were after his fame), he just couldn’t let the hopeless obsession go. Maybe it’s not love, compared to Snape’s love for Lily, yet he truly adored her now. He had not a faintest idea whether he could succeed - he never told her his true feelings. What’s worse, she bore in mind that he knew perfectly well that Snape **_only_** liked girls. Even if she accepted him, how could he tell Harry and Ron? Bring Severus Snape to Burrow for dinner? That thought made him shiver.

He felt suddenly unsure. Romantic attraction seemed to have blunted his mind.

“Dinner once a week is not enough if you truly woo her,” said Ron. “You are the one who instruct us in ‘girls’ little thoughts’. Why are you so timid when putting it into practice?”

“I said she is not a girl anymore,” he argued.

“Fine. Woman. Mature woman. That’s out of province. Can my parents be some example?”

“No,” Hermes squeezed out after nearly choked to suffocation.

“I think so. Well then, as the only married person among us,” Ron turned to Harry. “Any suggestion on how to woo ‘woman’ rather than ‘girl’?”

 “You will get married soon,” Harry pointed out. “May I ask...what’s your usual topic?”

“Books. Work,” he mused, weighing answers cautiously. “News. Spells. Potions. Transfiguration...”

Ron heaved a long sigh. “You finally meet another walking encyclopedia? No wonder you like her.”

Hermes shot him a threatening glare.

“Can’t you talk about something...anything entertaining? Dunno what you lot think, yet such conversation is so formal for us,” said Harry.

“We will never talk about Quidditch or gossip on Daily Prophet, Harry.”

“I don’t mean that. Just anything funny. Jokes. Fashion. Music. By the way, is she interested in Muggle things? They have more recreations than wizards do.”

“Dunno. She is half-blood,” he mused.

“Right. Harry took Ginny to a Muggle shopping hall the other day an she was totally dazzled. You can date like Muggles and go to the mo - what’s that, Harry?”

“Movies, if I am not mistaken. Plus, for Merlin’s sake, no Herbology, elf reform or how-to-cast-the-most-lasting-Patronus,” teased Harry.

Hermes grumbled, “Annoying.”

So far the talks between him and Snape were...fine. Buy they were still...prudish. He dreaded to mention the past or talk too much about his life. He was sure that id he talked about the happy life Harry Potter led after his marriage with the beautiful red-haired wife, she wouldn’t be impressed. And he assumed that she would never mention a single word about her past to him. All she had gone through had damaged her. He was always treading upon eggs, afraid to rip her old wounds once again.

Yet if he kept being irresolute, nothing would ever change.

He was back from contemplation, making up his mind.

“I’ll try.” Hermes looked up, smiling. “You are right, thank you.”

“With pleasure.” Ron hugged him. “Got for it.”

“And don’t forget what I said,” reminded Harry, hugging them all.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY 419 EVERYONE!

When he said in a normal tone, “Would you like to watch movies after dinner next time?”, Snape’s hands stiffened involuntarily.

She’s always acting like this - anything personal would make her uncomfortable. A knot of sorrow from nowhere built in his stomach. He thought of the one night stand he didn’t quite remember. Why?

“What do you intend to watch?” she frowned. He sensed her hesitation.

“Any preference?” he asked softly.

Her wrinkles grew. “None. Up to you.”

He took the task easily and regretted it when sitting side by side with Severus, who wore a familiar look called “Longbottom’s cauldron will explode on the count of three” with her arms crossed. Hermes had a cup of tea with his Muggle the other day, who recommended him the very movie in enthusiasm and here came the comeuppance of believing it so easily. He cursed himself for choosing such an unprecedented bad movie, eyeing Severus in the corner of his eyes and prayed she wouldn’t storm off, sending Howlers to him the moment she arrived home. It was not until the torture finally ended that Hermes was rescued.

“Not so like your style,” she sneered as the audience dispersed.

“I am such a sucker to believe his recommendation,” he admitted in frustration.

“I have the same impression.”

They fell in silence, walking outside towards the nearest Apparation. He watched her in the streetlight. The air she exhaled turned into frosty fogs in the chilly hair of October. The illumination of the point light source made the hair that had been messed up more conspicuous.

For no reason could he take his eyes off her.

“Outstanding creativity, anyway,” she said dryly after a while.

He went blank and realized she was talking about the movie, failing to repress a smile. “So does your comment.”

She issued a noncommittal monosyllable and nodded, her hair falling down and blocked him from peering at her face.

“I’ve never been in cinema before,” she said, almost inaudible.

He was shocked. Severus Snape was talking about herself to him - though it’s mere watching movies.

“Why?” he asked tentatively.

“Lack of money in childhood. Lack of such motive when growing up,” she said plainly.

“We can come next time - I will choose the movie on my own,” he said, suppressing mawkishness inside.

She didn’t speak yet nodded after a moment’s hesitation, hair veiling her face.

 

“Severus, you must come,” McGonagall put down her tea cup, looking serious.

Snape let out an impatient snort. “Why shall I?” she took up her wand to refill the cup.

“We all want to see you,” said McGonagall.

“How touching,” taunted Snape.

“I am serious. They do want to meet you. And you have been alone for a long time.”

“Funny. No seeing Lupin won’t cut me off the society.” she was still wearing a sneering smile, not slightest convinced.

“Come on, Severus. You don’t hate him that much. And he does care about you.” McGonagall’s look grew grave.

“Anyway, save your breath.” she crossed her arms in a defensive posture.

McGonagall shook her head. “True. It won’t. But shutting yourself in the lab all day long will. Severus, come on.”

“I have arrangement already.” her expression tautened.

“What else arrangement do you have except work? Visiting Malfoys?” 

Snape looked affronted. She opened her mouth to contend, only to remain speechless and shut up, sinking into the chair in agitation.

“Fair enough. You win. I’ll go,” she sighed.

McGonagall smiled. Snape looked uneasy.

 

Hermes stared at the clock in the trance. It’s Friday, three to five. Yet his mood was in stark contrast with colleagues around.

Lavender got over the clapboard over the desk. “What’s up, Hermes?”

“Nothing much, thank you.” he shook his head, knowing perfectly well it’s not convincing at all.

“Alright...is it something about...‘her’?”

His mind was pulled back. The first intention was to contend, yet it struck him that Ron must have spilled the beans to Lavender, the great love expert. So he gave up.

“Nothing much actually. She has other plans tonight.”

Lavender looked at him in sympathy. “Why not go out with us? Ron, Parvati, her new boyfriend, Tonks in Aurors and me. Just for an out,” she suggested.

He didn’t miss the spark in Lavender’s eyes.

“What about Professor Lupin?” he smiled bitterly.

“Tonks says Professor McGonagall holds a staff party tonight,” she shrugged. “It’s okay. Those married need their own private space as well. Will you come? Ron and Tonks will be glad.”

He ascertained that he couldn’t settle down to work anymore tonight. Perhaps it would divert his attention from thinking about her.

He nodded, biting his bottom lip. “Yes, Lavender.”

She smirked. “That’s right. We can have a nice chat...Leaky Cauldron at six?”

“Yep,” said Hermes, smiling in resignation.

That Severus must be dragged to the staff party by Professor McGonagall was the most possible reason, he knew. Yet he was still...sentimental. She only owled him, saying curtly “personal affairs”. he craved she could write more - rather than the formal, alienating tone. Tell him what the bloody hell “personal affairs” are. Was it anything he weren’t supposed to be informed?

Or the blasted movie still drew her ire? Or she was just being sensitive? Or feeling embarrassed for revealing her private experience to him?

For Merlin’s sake it’s nothing more than watching movies!

He sighed in fidgety. He was irritated and frustrated now - he didn’t understand. He even had no idea who ought to take the blame. Could he make it? Would those effect pay off one day?

Perhaps he would never get the answer from anyone.

He looked at his friends. Tonks sang a Muggle old song, replacing all the “kiss” in  _Never on Sunday_  with “owl”. Parvati’s new boyfriend cradled her in his arms. Lavender giggled on Ron’s lap. He had a strong sense that if he continued to woo Snape, it’s tantamount to giving up all this, all the carefree intimacy. Severus Snape would never be a part of such scene. She would jibe Tonks, pressing her lips together, looking gloomy, shooting killing glares at everyone who dared to approach her.

Why was he carried away? For Merlin’s sake she just failed to come _once_! Anything was possible - maybe just something personal.

He shook the sense off.

Tonks had finished the song, explaining the original lyrics to them. “Alright,” laughed Lavender, cupping Ron’s face, “I will never refuse a kiss. Anytime.”

Several people guffawed. Hermes watched them kissing, partly amused. They were really eligible for each other, he thought.

Tonks was still the topic, who had a talent to spread laughter. She and Professor Lupin had huge gaps in ages and social positions, yet they ended up living happily ever after. Because they knew each other, he thought. Can he and Severus make it? Or, can _he_  make it?

He still got a long way to go.

“Hey,” Lavender patted him, who had freed from Ron’s hug, startling Hermes a little.

“Oh! Hi...” he smiled wearily.

“We had a deal, remember?” she winked. “Ron says it doesn’t go well between your mature woman and you?”

Hermes hesitated. Let alone the term “mature woman”, if she were a little girl, he could omit nothing to Lavender. Yet it’s Severus, their formidable Professor Snape. Anyone who had the guts to say a Gryffindor girl could read her mind would probably be assigned to detention for eons!

...but maybe, witches all had something in common? Even Severus?

“I do feel puzzled,” he began. “She is always alienating, to me, to everybody. Having suffered so much, she prefers solitude. They war leaves her black and blue and I don’t know whether she could accept me.”

Lavender’s look grew grave. “I guess it’s not a mere love problem, right? How to lift her up in the aftermath?”

“Rather than aftermath, it will be more precisely to say she never has such a life,” Hermes nodded, gesturing at the wizards and witches shuttling through the bar. “Normal life, too labyrinthine, isn’t it?”

She signed. “Yeah, you do like her, do you?”

Hermes relied by a wan smile. “However, any general suggestions?” he tried to divert the topic. “Like date, gifts, etc?”

“Ah,” she smiled, “of course. I assume she isn’t the romantic type...”

“No way,” he quavered.

The conversation with Lavender was extremely helpful. He shared his worries, the blasted movie, for example. And she burst into laughter.

 “Great. That means she enjoys your company,” she looked directly into him, “if your description being right.”

“...really?” he was flattered. Though he knew if not, in no way Snape would tolerate it for three hours, it’s different to be told by others.

“Silly boy,” she rolled her eyes. “But don’t get self-satisfied too early. You don’t want her patience wear off, do you?”

“Absolutely,” he said.

During the little talk, Tonks joined them as well, giving many feminine ideas and to make him feel better, the conversation covered the tales of the war.

“You must be very, very patient, Hermes. It’s a milestone since she is willing to go out with you. Difficult for us after all this, much less her.” she put an arm on his shoulder. “If you mean it, don’t give up easily, okay?”

Tonks was so severe that he shivered inwardly, nodding in nervousness.

Yes, it won’t be easy, but so what? He would never surrender.

On departure Ron’s face was scarlet, he patting Hermes’ shoulder with such a strength that Hermes assumed he had drunk too much.

“I wanted to ask,” he grumbled. “But I think I’d better leave it to ladies. They are adept at such affairs, aren’t they? I am expecting your triumph next time after you get their invaluable advice.”

He bade goodbye to him. Lavender Apparated with Ron, so did Parvati and her boyfriend. Hermes turned around, only to spot Tonks standing here, hands thrust into pockets with a serious look on her face.

“Remus and I,” she began, grinning, “have gone through a lot to be together. He thinks he is old, poor...anything, plus a werewolf. But you know, we lead a happy life. He returns Hogwarts to teach D.A.D.A.. Little Teddy is healthy, too.”

He smiled, nodding.

“I bet you can make it. I don’t know how to help...” she smiled in resignation, “If only you two could do with each other, though under no circumstance it will be easy.”

She tilted her head, shooting him a nasty glimpse.

“Especially when someone snipes snide remarks at everyone, fluttering her feather like an old raven seated in the corner of the Great Hall in Hogwarts and throwing intimidating stares at anyone with in the radius of ten yards.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reio loves suspension points.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *coo*

He exclaimed in surprise, “You - ”

“Not that difficult to guess,” she sniggered. “Besides, Remus says you can’t take your eyes off her since the fifth year.”

His face turned scarlet.

“I am going! Gear up, bye!” satisfied with his reaction, she nodded, waving and Apparated with a _crack_.

Hermes was left petrified.

 

“Where have you been last week?” he asked before the food was served.

She frowned, glancing at him doubtfully. “I daresay you’ve known.”

“...fine. Why?” Embarrassing. He should have realized Snape’s faculty of making himself feel stupid.

“Nymphadora Tonks never shuts up. And Lupin is more than willing to announce his wife to the whole world. Beside, he loves to poke one's nose into others' business himself.”

He got nervous. “Did he say anything?”

“Nothing much,” said Snape, looking away.

“I expect a reason of your absence, still,” he said.

“So, is that censure?” she glimpsed at him icily.

“Of course not!” affronted, he took a deep breath to calm down. “I hope to know about you. We shouldn’t act as if we were strangers. I’m not forcing your privacy out...just..thinking I could be informed.”

She answered by a growing furrow.

“I suppose at least we are friends,” he added, a fracture of disappointment leaking from his voice.

“Fair enough,” she surveyed him, “as your wish.”

He nodded. Couldn’t be better, could it?

“Tell me something about your staff party,” he suggested prudently.

“Nothing worth informing.”

“You said Professor Lupin has a habit of prying your business moments ago! Besides, I haven’t seen them for a long time.”

“Okay. They are saint enough to make me vomit,” she shrugged. “Ad of the feast. Tumultuous. Lupin brought his son.”

“Ah! Little Teddy! It has been a long time since - ”

“Spoiled Fauntleroy. Curries favour by showing off endowments from his mother.”

“He is only six! It’s children’s nature to mess around.”

She sighed, irritated. “And those baby-loving nannies! For Merlin’s sake they are no Muggle babysitters! It won’t have me surprised when the day Hogwarts becomes a kindergarten occurs. ”

A smile escaped from him when Hermes pictured a little Teddy with hair changing colors like neon lights surrounded by Professor McGonagall and so on.

He came back to himself, only to find Severus was eyeing at him in a soft gaze, a smile lurking in her eyes. Yet in a split second before he realized it, it returned to her usual mask of indifference.

Frustrating.

“It come to my attention that expectant Mrs Weasley, Miss Brown brought you to a...girls’ party?” she coughed dryly.

“It’s not a girls’ party! Ron was present, so did Parvati’s new boyfriend,” he protested, only to realize that she was not interested at all and fell silent.

“Having fun with them?”

“Yes,” he nodded. “But I prefer your company.”

Even Hermes himself was flabbergasted at his imperence. But she seemed to not take it seriously. Severus smiled, mischief manifested in her gaze.

“In this solitary instance, I agree with you.”

 

“So your relationship are leading to prosperity?” smirked Ron.

“Not really,” he protested, turning scarlet. “We just leaped over the threshold and won’t have reservations to each other - well, in most contexts,” he added. After all, there were still many topics too sensitive to them.

"Well done," Harry nodded. "Although it sounds like you... just become friends."

“Eh,” Hermes was embarrassed with defeat. “Everything takes time.”

“But never mind,” Harry gave him a encouraging smile. “We do believe you.”

“Plus Lavender’s advice?” Ron laughed.

“Don’t boast.” Hermes shot him a glare.

But indeed. He and Severus were much closer to each other, and they had gone out alone three or four times outside of the scheduled dinner.  Lavender’s suggestion seemed to be very useful, at least he had not made the horrible accident like their first watching a movie. He even convinced her once to accompany him to pick clothes - of course, in a Muggle Mall. When Severus was busy criticizing almost every tie he chose, his mind was full of schemes like how to smuggle a shirt with any color in the visible spectrum, or a jacket, or even a pair of socks. Were she wearing a Slytherin emerald shirt to meet him someday, he would immediately set off Weasley fireworks to celebrate.

Pity that she had fathomed his tricks at the beginning and shattered the possibility. He sighed in disappointment.

“Hermes,” Harry called.

“Yes?”

"We actually want to know more about her. Her name? Background? What kind of person? These..." He spread his hands. "We have been busy worrying about your process... Didn’t even have a detailed communication."

"Uh-huh," Ron echoed. "Sounds like you are already on the rails. We have to prepare for her introduction to us in the future - although you have said that she does not like Quidditch." He added sullenly.

Hermes was nervous. How should he explain?

"This," he hesitated. "I have leaked some before..."

“Female. Older than you. Unmarried. Doesn’t like gossip and Quidditch. Bibliophile. That’s all,” Ron counted. “How could these be enough?”

“If I might speak, some of them are bosh.”

He swallowed nervously. He could lie... but they were too familiar with each other and he didn't want to lie to them. However, he couldn't tell them directly...

“She cherishes privacy. I can’t leak too much.”

“An Unspeakable in the Department of Mysteries?”

"Shut up. She... mainly does her own research at home. And she is really smart... Versatile. Endowed with many talents except a good temper. Never being polite... But sometimes she does care for others. She pays attention to the smallest details. Bit stuck to the old habits, almost the same thing every time, the clothes are also ... almost one style." He thought about Severus, weighing words and they naturally flew out. He found that he was pleasantly willing to talk about her - this thought made him feel refreshed.

"...She is still not used to being open to people. Her loved one died in the War... Since then her whole life turned into a nightmare, which is only getting better after the war."

They did not interrupt. He knew that he had used a very cunning description - everything he said was truth, but the image put together in the eyes of others was far from it. They had probably portrayed the image of a war widow in their minds, whose spirit had not been restored...

...Gosh, Severus would kill him.

"...but she is robust. And brave. Endured a lot of catastrophes beyond imagination..." He wanted to rectify the mistake. "She is not used to sincerity. But I think... I believe, She does care about me."

They went silent together. He clenched his hands, surprised at what he said.

“She sounds like a saint,” smiled Harry cordially, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

Hermes struggled to hold his facial expression that was about to collapse. This was an perfect example of how misleading unilateral information was.

"You can put it in this way." He gave them an ambiguous answer.

Ron finally stopped gaping. "Ah..." He shook his head. "Lavender always refuses to tell me too much, and so do you. I understand why now. Sorry, I shouldn't have asked that."

“Never mind,” Hermes gave Ron a comforting smile. “To be precise, Harry did the asking. And we will confront such question sooner or later.”

"Yes." Harry nodded and raised his glass. They clinked, and Hermes went dizzy again. He didn't want to make the atmosphere so heavy, but when he confessed the truth to them, would they still react like this? No way.

He drained the cup. Before the times came, he wish he could come up with some ways.

Ways to let them accept each other mutually.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are sincerely welcomed.  
> I only own the tanslation so all the comments will be replied by original auther, Reio, as I have added her to the cowriter. Though she can't write an English fic on her own she is able to chat in English. Have fun!


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